A group of British businesses in the Philippines on Tuesday backed the Marcos administration’s move to raise the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports.

In a statement, the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) said increasing the pork MAV to 204,210 metric tons (MT) from 54,210 MT would help ensure adequate market supply while supporting the government’s food security efforts.

The increase, approved last week through Executive Order No. 116, was meant to secure pork supply amid losses caused by African swine fever (ASF), which has disrupted local hog production for years.

Apart from ensuring supply, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier said the higher MAV could also encourage stronger market competition and help bring down pork prices for consumers.

Pushback

But local hog raisers and traders have pushed back against the move, arguing that it would benefit only a few importers while creating unfair competition that could eventually displace local industry players.

For the BCCP, however, the measure could deepen agricultural trade ties between the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

“We believe that an increase in MAV volume represents an important step toward strengthening the UK-Philippines bilateral trade and the country’s overall food security efforts,” BCCP executive vice chair Chris Nelson said in a statement.

For the first two months of 2026, the United Kingdom exported 3,229 MT of meat to the Philippines, according to Bureau of Animal Industry data. Pork accounted for the bulk of shipments at 2,656 MT.

Previously, Nelson advocated raising the pork import quota to between 75,000 MT and 80,000 MT.

“We have consistently advocated for lower tariffs on pork and other meat products and have supported, since 2023, the proposed increase in the MAV to better align with the country’s growing population, address supply challenges arising from ASF, and help mitigate food inflation,” the BCCP said.

Introduced in 1996, the MAV scheme allows specific volumes of agricultural products to enter the country at reduced tariff rates.

Pork imports within the quota are charged a 15-percent tariff, while shipments outside the MAV are subject to a 25-percent duty.

See original article here.